Picture postcard property has views over the sea

THERE’S something about a long, rhododendren driveway — the sense of anticipation — the glory of age.

It’s why big old houses like this one at Rathclaren find willing buyers — usually with big old pockets.

That being said, this house is in very good condition, considering its age. It’s been lived in over all those years and there’s a real, homey feeling in the house.

Built in an age when servants were commonplace, a self-reliant owner could still get around the place with a hoover in jig time — it’s big, but not unmanageably so.

Constructed for the rector of Rathclaren parish, and probably within the living of the Kilbrittain estate, (with the country’s longest lived-in castle), the house sits cheek by jowl with pretty Holy Trinity Church.

The picture-postcard Church of Ireland property adjoins an ancient holy well from which it takes its name. Still a busy parish centre, Holy Trinity ministers to a strong local community.

The house is tucked behind the church and hidden from the road, yet there’s a clearance in front which allows views over the sea.

Festooned with fading daffodils and with immaculate parkland all around, it does exactly what’s expected of a Georgian manse.

Yet it’s a modest and very pretty property. Wild primroses seed along the gravel driveway (this is raked to keep down weeds and gives an indication of the attention to detail), and the upper levels of the lawn are sheltered by big old pines and cedars.

The house has three bays facing south, with the entrance on the eastern corner, and it’s flanked at the rear by a stone courtyard.

There’s a subsidiary entrance from the main driveway which leads directly into the courtyard and to the working end of the house, at the rear. The block of stable buildings, with twin arched entrances would offer huge potential to new owners and could add substantially to the house’s four-bed accommodation. There’s the potential to link these buildings to the main house by an adept addition.

Behind the courtyard is the ‘donkey field’, now a lawned and enclosed garden, with two cattle sheds adjoining and a hand-wrought gate leading to the rear entrance. Next, there’s the cutting garden, which provides flowers for the house and a sunny and warm vegetable garden. Bounded by old estates walls, this high south-facing space is sheltered by an old orchard and further on, there’s a disused tennis court making up the south-eastern boundary.

Rathclaren offers huge scope to be self-sufficient.

The micro-climate would lend itself to all kinds of gardening and a glasshouse or two would be the icing on the cake.

That’s the outside — inside, all is well too. Despite its construction in the age of candles and oil lamps, Rathclaren House is in fine fettle. A liveable, family home, it’s heated by a new condenser boiler and is spick and span.

Granted, the roof may need to be looked at, with a muffling of insulation thrown in, but the house appears generally sound and dry.

The big old sash windows have stood the test of time and, according to the owners, were made of Caledonian pine, brought in to Cork as ballast from the New World.

The house retains its low-key, Adam’s fireplace in the drawing room and ceilings are generally 14’ high. Outside, the slating is graduated from top to bottom, to give the impression of more height.

The owners have maintained the property to an exacting standard and are only selling because the upkeep has gone beyond them and they’ve decided to downsize.

Hence, lovely old Rathclaren hits the market at a guide of €1.5 million through Michael Galvin and Derek Dorgan of DNG Galvin, Bandon.

A survey has already been completed on the property, but the owners quote a builder friend who summed the house up pithily when they purchased: “Everything vertical is vertical”.